Desert Rose: The Burning Soul
by Designated Crowd Ninja
Summary: Second installment to the 'Desert Rose' series, sequel to 'Wounds to the Heart'. Gaara x OC
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1 - Burning**

Sayomi watched Hinata block another blow from Sakura, who had agreed to train with them on account of uneven numbers. Even though her concentration was divide she still managed to knock away Kiba's fist with ease and deliver a strong hit to his stomach simultaneously. He buckled over, either she was getting better, or Kiba was getting worse. She rolled her eyes and turned to Shino and Gaara. They were equal in terms of strength and speed, but she wasn't quite sure yet who was the best tactition. Gaara had been living in Konoha for seven months now, he'd moved into the spare room in Sayomi's apartment, much to Kiba's annoyance.

"I think that's enough for today," she announced after another ten or so minuets of watching

Gaara and Shino stopped and shook hands, nodding in silent agreement. A draw. Hinata helped Sakura off the ground.

"I think you won that one," she laughed, although she hadn't been using the full extent of her strength, she hadn't been able to after Hinata had blocked one or two chakra points in her arms and legs.

"I want you here bright and early tomorrow morning, no excuses" she said, then picking up her jacket "Mind coming along tomorrow as well Sakura?"

"No, I don't mind, Naruto's still off on that training mission with Jariah, and I don't think I can manage Kakashi-sensei on my own."

"Ask Kakashi to tag along to, I could do with _some _competition" she said,

Normally she would pitch herself against the worst in the group, trying to make them better, but Kiba was a lost cause in her opinion, she was going to see if she could convince Gai to take him on, she knew he'd be only too egar. Fighting Hinata was a no go, neither would want to hurt the other. If she was feeling bored, the best fighter in the group, which was, at the moment, either Shino or Gaara, but she knew Shino's fighting style like the back of her hand, necessary for a squad leader, so her best bet was Gaara. The first time she'd sparred against Gaara had been the last, they'd had to stop out of exhaustion after thirty-four-and-a-half hours.

***

Sayomi jammed her key straight in the lock when she got home, she was tired and she wanted to get to bed. Gaara followed after her locking the door behind him, there wasn't really much point, if anyone broke in they would both be up and ready for a fight in seconds, but Sayomi was still paranoid about it, she couldn't and wouldn't sleep until every possible entrance had been checked.

He watched in silence as she shut her bedroom door behind her and came out fifteen minuets later in loose cotton trousers and vest top with her long hair tied back. Then she checked all the locks, the dead-bolt on the front door, the latches on the windows and even the extractor fans in the kitchen and bathroom, even though they were too small for anyone to climb through. Only when she was happy that they were all locked securely would she go to bed.

Gaara turned the lights off before retiring to his room and changing into a pair of light cotton trousers. Konoha's summer was only getting hotter, even though they were under ground. The top of the metal dome-shaped exoskeleton around the village was only a few feet below ground level, and because of its size, it was absorbing heat in the day and radiating it at night. He'd seen hundreds of plans Sayomi had made when she couldn't sleep, most involving using different materials to make the dome, and some brought the village back to ground level and involved erecting a large stone wall around the village perimeter, he'd had to point out that the village already had one and it hadn't stopped invaders before, she'd hit him for that.

Due to the lack of sunlight, there had been a system of lights put up around the village, which all went out at eleven o'clock, known obviously as 'lights out'. He waited untill this came, then darkness engulfed him. Of course people put lights on their homes, but this made little difference to the light in his room. The one-tailed demon inside him didn't allow him to sleep, so he sat cross-legged on his bed with his eyes closed and listened for the quietest thing in the apartment. First it was the tick of the clock in the hall way, he tuned it out, listening for something smaller, Sayomi's soft breathing, then her heart-beat. Its slow and steady beat relaxed him.

_Ba-dum... ba-dum... Ba-dum... ba-dum. _

Then suddenly her breathing hitched and her heart stopped, then started racing. This was expected, it happened at exactly the same time every night, 12:43 on the dot and lasted for exactly a minuet before it returned to normal. Thirty-four minuets later... her heart was picking up pace, and her breathing was restricted getting more strangled with each breath.

He jumped up at the first scream.

***

When she finally drifted off into sleep, Sayomi found herself in the same tunnels as always, the dream had been re-occouring for months now. She'd wonder, completely naked, aimlessly through tunnels, although it always felt like she knew where she was going, like she'd been here before. Then she'd walk past the entrance to a particularly dark tunnel and she'd hear her name being called and she'd automatically follow the soft, velvety voice although there was a sense of danger. She'd wake up at that point. This dream was different.

She carried on following the soft call of the velvet voice, becoming eventually engulfed in darkness. Steady drips of water echoed through the tunnel, distracting her from the voice and she fell into nothingness, the floor had just disappeared from beneath her feet. A loud splash echoed, instantly blotted out when water flooded her ears. She tried to swim upwards and when her head broke the surface she took a gulp of air, the inescapable water flooded her lungs, it was like an iron vice had clamped itself round her chest, she couldn't breathe.

As red blotches clouded her vision and her heart-beat slowed the water faded away and she was suddenly suspended in mid-nothingness. There was no feeling of up or down here, no acting gravity, no air.

_'Sayomi!' _hissed the voice, it was angry now but she didn't want to listen '_SAYOMI!' _it screamed and a fire erupted all around her.

The fire seemed to reach out to her like living hands, clawing at her skin, leaving trailed burns and scorches. She tried to fight it off, her fingers swinging uselessly through the flames, burning herself further. Four long scorching whips reached out and gripped her wrists and ankles, stretching her out, leaving her vulnerable and unable to move. The flames come to life, swirling together, forming the shape of a great bird. It opened its beak and screeched, bursting her ear drums, then dived for her.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2 - Towels  
**

"I'm fine, will you just stop looking at me like that!" hissed Sayomi, bandaging the burn on Gaara's forearm, Sayomi was slightly shocked that his sand hadn't jumped to block the fire, but he didn't seem to care, or notice for that matter, all he would do was throw concerned glances at her.

"You might feel fine, but you told me you have earth chakra and even then you don't know any fire based jutsu,"

"It's fine okay!" she snapped, standing bolt upright and slamming her hands down on the table "I'm fine, there's nothing wrong, it's all fine!" now she was shaking, trying to hold back the burning sensation swelling inside her chest, gripping edge of the table harder out of anger

"Are you sure?"

"Yes!" she snapped

"So you're burning the table on purpose then are you?" he asked calmly

Sayomi looked down at her hands, black scorch marks were creeping outwards from her hands, she snapped her hands back and stepped away from the table, staring at her hands, almost terrified of herself.

* * *

Kiba stared up into the dull ceiling of the underground dome protecting the village. Akamaru whined. "I know buddy..." he muttered. He didn't know why he even bothered to come to training anymore, apart to torture himself with the sight of Sayomi Sakamoto, although she'd only beat him into seven shades of shit every sparring session, and all because he'd just about lost the will to live, thats just what made him so masochistic he guessed. Suddenly Akamaru jumped up barking and wagging his tail excitedly. Kiba raised his head, surely enough Shino was walking towards them. Lately Akamaru seemed very taken with Shino, though Kiba had no clue why.

The nin-dog bounded up to Shino, and Shino ruffled his fur. After acknowledging his friend with a nod Kiba flopped back down on the (surprisingly still alive despite the lack of sunlight) grass. Shino sat down silently next to him. Kiba supposed he owed allot to Shino, who had put up with his infatuation (as he had put it) with Sayomi for god knows how long.

"You're late" Kiba pointed out casually

"And I suppose you've been here for hours have you?" he asked, a hint of sarcasm in his voice

Kiba made a dismissive noise, he'd only arrived a few minuets ago himself, expecting to be late, only to find he was the first person here. "you're not usually late, is what I mean"

"I have my reasons"

"Which are...?"

"None of your business"

They stayed in silence until Hinata and Sakura arrived. They ran over, completely breathless.

"Sorry I'm late!" she said "I..." she looked round "Um, where's Sayomi?"

"Like I care" said Kiba spitefully

"Gaara's not here yet either" Sakura pointed out "And Kakashi's always late"

"Sayomi's not usually late though." said Hinata worriedly

"It's not my fault I'm late, I had to find someone to give lazy here the kick up the arse he needs" said Sayomi, appearing out of nowhere

"Oh really?" asked Kiba "Who'd you ask then?"

"You're gonna love this..." muttered Sayomi, just as a man wearing green latex burst into the clearing

"Captain Sakamoto, sorry I'm late, but I wanted to finish my customary ten laps round the village before training. I hope I haven't missed the fun!" Gai said, in his usual 'Gai' manner.

"Not at all! Kiba's looking forward to training with you!" she responded with a fake brightness in her voice

Kiba paled visibly "You're kidding right?" he asked

"Do I look like I'm kidding?" she said, giving him her 'do-or-die' look, before turning back to Gai "You're not as late as Kakashi, you haven't seen him have you?"

"Kakashi will be training with us?" he mused, scratching his chin in thought "I'm afraid I haven't seen him, no"

"He's coming..." muttered Gaara in his gravestone monotone voice Kakashi appeared in poof of smoke an apologetic look on his face "Sorry I'm late, I..."

"Cut the crap Hatake, I'm not in he mood for your shit today"

"Are you ever?" muttered Kakashi in an undertone

* * *

Gaara threw a sideways glance at Sayomi, she seemed to be fine now, although he could still see the occasional tremble in he hands. Kiba seemed to be in his own personal hell, training under Gai, weather Sayomi noticed or not, he couldn't tell. It was clear to everyone, including the lady herself, that Kiba was completely infatuated with Sayomi, and he was beginning to hate himself for it. Gaara wondered why he didn't just request to be assigned to a different squad.

Just as he parred a blow from Shino, Gaara sensed someone else at the edge of the clearing, everyone else in the group seemed to as well. There was a woman at the edge of the clearing, with long dark hair, who could tell how long she'd been watching them.

"Kurenai-sensei!" called Hinata excitedly, waving her arm

Kakashi, Sayomi and Shino froze mid-fight to look over to whoever Hinata was waving at. Kiba also froze, but only gave Gai an opening to grab his arm, flip him and throw him down.

The dark-haired woman made her way over to them.

"Still pregnant." Kakashi stated, although it was obvious. She threw him a withering look.

She smiled "I thought I'd come and see how my old team are doing"

"They're doing great," Sayomi confirmed. Kurenai looked over to Kiba, who was now being forced to do hand-stand push-ups. "Well... most of them are..."

* * *

Kiba could of punched the wall. That was if his arms didn't hurt so much. He had no idea how long Gai had been training (or rather torturing) him, but it was long after the others left, only Shino had hung back. Almost instinctively the bug-nin had known that there was no way Kiba could go home and face his family that night either. Kiba remembered once that Shino had said 'If you need a place a stay, my couch is always open' Although Kiba found this weird at first, he supposed it was just Shino being the good friend he was, even if it was kinda hard to believe.

He lay back on Shino's couch, his legs of the arm, so Shino could sit down. Kiba folded his arms behind his head, closing his eyes, enjoying the comfortable silence, when Shino spoke.

"Kiba" he said, although there was something awkward about his tone. Kiba opened his eyes, looking up at his friend. "What am I to you?" he asked.

All he could do was stare, shocked. This was the kind of weird thing girls asked you, not the guys you hung out with.

"Well, you're my best friend if that's what you mean" he replied eventually

Kiba saw the muscle's working in Shino's jaw, as if he was frustrated "Is that it?"

Unable to figure out his friend, Kiba furrowed his brow in confusion "What are you getting at?"

"Nothing, I was just wondering" he suddenly got up and walked over to his room.

"Hey!" called Kiba, leaning over the back of the couch. Shino hesitated, the door half open. "Do you mind if I take a shower?"

"Sure, whatever..." he muttered, before stepping into his room and closing the door pointedly.

Resisting the temptation to turn round and punch the wall, Shino flopped down on his bed, highly 'out-of-character' for him. He felt like such an idiot, of all the people... it just had to be Kiba didn't it?

It felt like he'd been lying there for hours when he came back to his senses, but Kiba was still in the shower, he could hear it running, so that couldn't be right. Just needing a reason to move, Shino convinced himself that he needed a glass of water and pushed himself up. Managing to compose himself before he left the room, he moved swiftly to the kitchen, grabbed a glass off the shelf, let the water run for a moment before filling the glass and downing it in one and clunking it black down on the counter.

Weakly, he pulled off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose, eyes shut tight. Manners would indicate that he offers Kiba his bed and then he would sleep on couch, but he knew for a fact he couldn't handle that, especially not when he next slept in that bed and was bombarded by the smell of him. He pushed his glasses back on, rinsed out the glass and stuck it upside-down on the draining board. Without even thinking or realising the shower had stopped running. Shino span round and left the kitchen.

The warning buzz of his kikaichu stopped him and he looked up. Just across the room Kiba was stood wearing nothing but a towel tied loosely round his hips. His wet hair stuck up at all odd angles, water droplets clung to his tanned skin, running temptingly in the dents between well toned muscles. Shino swallowed, feeling his cheeks flush.

"What?" asked Kiba

Shino snapped out of his daze realising he was staring, and darting into his room, slamming the door tightly behind him.

Kiba blinked dumbly, stunned. Had Shino just _blushed_?_ Shino, BLUSHING_? He didn't think so, his eyes must be playing tricks on him. But why had he disappeared into his room so suddenly? It didn't make sense. Reflexively, instinctively, Kiba sniffed the air, catching the _one_ scent he didn't expect to smell from Shino. Ever.

_Arousal._

"Shit..." he muttered

He'd barely been able to lock the door his hands had been shaking so bad. Without warning, his knees buckled beneath him and he slumped against the wall. Roughly he pulled off his glasses and rest his face against his forearm. A knock on his door made him jump.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3 - Tattoo**

He'd barely been able to lock the door his hands had been shaking so bad. Without warning, his knees buckled beneath him and he slumped against the wall. Roughly he pulled off his glasses and rest his face against his forearm. A knock on his door made him jump.

"Shino?" asked Kiba, sounding concerned.

Shino didn't respond.

"It's alright, I know."

He froze, hardly daring to breathe.

"There's nothing wrong with being gay."

For the second time that night, Shino could of punched something.

"I'm not exactly a homophobe, why couldn't you just tell me?"

Correction, he could of punched Kiba. Sayomi was right, he really was stupid.

Kiba leaned against Shino's door, unsure of what to say next, he knew that Shino was still in there and still awake, he just wasn't answering him. That just left him to guess the answers to his question. He really wasn't a homophobe, and he knew Shino knew he wouldn't blab anything. So why? It did confuse him though, when it was hot enough, allot of the guys hung out and trained shirtless. Hell, even his sparring partner, that Gaara guy, trained shirtless, why hadn't he smelt it before now?

Then something clicked. And strangely enough, it didn't weird him out.

"Shino?" he asked "Is it me?" he waited "Is it just me?"

* * *

Sayomi rest her forehead against the wall of the shower. Sometimes she wondered what the hell was wrong with her, she knew how she felt towards Gaara, not that it didn't annoy the hell out of her, guys just _didn't _make her feel like this, and nor did girls as a few people thought. So, for the first time in her life, she just had to except the inevitable, she had a _crush._ Ugh, even the word made her feel about twelve.

Reluctantly she looked down at her body. She knew full well she'd gone through the 'changes' her aunt had so reluctantly explained to her seven years ago. It was just that she looked so different from other Sakamoto women, sure she had the dark hair and grey eyes but she greatly lacked the flat-chested, boyish figure. She could remember how manly her aunt on her father's side had looked, she'd been broad-shouldered, tall, freakishly strong, very-nearly square jawed and she looked like a female body-builder, in fact, she was. Instead, Sayomi had slight curves, a fuller chest, fairly slender limbs and smooth oval face.

In fact, from what she'd heard, she looked more like her mother, an apparently 'average' ninja, but there was something in her blood that told her otherwise, or to be more accurate, in her chakra. When she was a child, she remembered two different element types fighting to be recognised: Fire and Iron. She'd forced the Fire Chakra into the very depths of herself just so she could be recognised as a Sakamoto. Before she could even remember, her mother died, all Sayomi knew about her was that she had a dragon-shaped birthmark on her back.

Although recently, her body had been changing drastically. Her breasts looked and _felt _bigger, the curve of her waist got more pronounced and her face seemed to of lost that childish look she'd only managed to get rid of by looking constantly moody. It was probably just something else she'd gotten off her mother. Random, rapid change to the body that seemed to turn the head of every man she passed.

* * *

Gaara read over Sayomi's most recent blueprint for cooling the village down, the heat was just getting ridiculous now. He heard the shower stop running and the bathroom door open and close. Normally he'd keep his eyes solidly in the opposite direction as Sayomi made her way to her room in nothing but a towel (There wasn't any particular reason he did this, just plain manners). So he didn't know what caused him to look round at her today. She had her back to him and her band on the bedroom door handle, about to open it. When he saw something.

"Wait" he said suddenly, jumping over the back of the sofa and standing behind her.

"Huh?" she asked, starting to turn

"No, keep facing that way." he said gently, holding the top of her arms

Sayomi could hardly even think straight, he'd always been such a gentleman it was frustrating. Every time she'd walked back from the shower to her room (purposely in a just towel just to see if she could get some kind of reaction from him), he'd been staring pointedly in the other direction, now he was holding her still and telling her to 'keep facing that way'? what the hell was going on?

He pushed her slightly-wet hair away from her back and over her shoulder. Gaara gave a small intake of breath, he was right, he had seen something. An intricate blood-red tattoo of a dragon decorated the back of her right shoulder, but only the head and one of the claws was visible, he pulled down her towel at the back.

Hardly able to breathe, her heart beating erratically, Sayomi loosened her grip on the towel until her back was completely bare. Softly, Gaara trailed his fingers down the length of the dragon tattoo, all the way down between her hips. She seemed to flinch at his touch, he just guessed his hands were. Sayomi felt her heart very nearly explode out of her chest at the unexpected feel of his fingers tracing down her back, resting between her hips. Her face flushed and she forgot how to breathe when he put a hand on her bare waist.

"Breathe..." he whispered in her ear, now standing only inches behind her, Sayomi gasped and willed herself not to pass out. The feeling of his warm breath on her neck sent shivers down her spine. His lips brushed her neck and her pulse sky-rocketed again.

Gaara had no idea what had come over him. He had to admit, in the past few days, he'd found himself, to say the least, attracted to her. He hadn't thought it possible, but in the past few days she'd stared looking more... womanly. Only now it seemed he couldn't control himself.

His hand reached round her shoulders and brushed her cheek, drawing her face round to him. He traced a finger across her soft, full lips, then, without thinking, he kissed her.

Her head span, dumb struck for a moment before kissing back.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4 - Emotion**

Sayomi stared disbelievingly at the Hokage, her hands resting on the Hokage's desk, looking for a trace of some hilarious joke.

"Just like that?" she asked, the Hokage had called them to her office at no earlier than half five this morning, before even 'lights on', but apparently it was urgent. As they'd gotten there, all the highest ranking Ninja in the village, including the elders had come out of her office, looking anywhere between joyous and confused.

Tsunade nodded "Just like that" she said calmly "Have a look for yourself" she handed Sayomi an official-looking document. Sayomi scanned her eyes over it several times before she actually believed what she was reading.

A Peace Treaty. Signed, the Elders of Suna.

"The Elders? What about the Kazekage?" she asked, handing it to Gaara, careful not to brush hands with him or look at him. She'd kinda panicked when he'd kissed her yesterday, they hadn't spoken to, or even looked at, each other since then.

Tsunade leaned forward, resting her chin on her hands "That's an interesting question, I'm still a bit confused if I'm completely honest. You know Orochimaru?" Sayomi nodded "Well, almost three years ago when the Kazekage himself went on a mission to raid an Akatsuki hide-out, he came back alone, claiming that all the subordinates who had accompanied him were killed by the Akatsuki. Well recently, we don't quite know the details, but the Kazekage became very ill and while he was uncontious in hospital it became evident that the Kazekage was being impersonated by Orochimaru." she explained briefly

"Shit." muttered Sayomi

"That's not even the interesting bit" continued Tsunade, she held out her hand and Shizune, who passed her a file, Tsunade gave it to Sayomi, and said "This is their next elected Kazekage"

She looked cautiously at Tsunade as she untied the clasp and flipped it open. As she looked down, her eyes nearly popped out her skull. Tsunade instructed her to 'pass it on' she closed it again and passed it to Gaara. As he opened it, there was no doubt in her mind that he felt as shocked as she looked.

Tsunade suddenly changed the subject "How soon do you think you can bring the village back to the surface?"

Sayomi folded her arms, "Whenever" she said as calmly as she could

Tsunade nodded then looked at Gaara "An escort will arrive for you tomorrow. Sayomi, I would like you to act as a Liaison for Konoha, you have every right to decline"

Sayomi watched Tsunade thoughtfully, before shrugging, Tsunade understood that she mean 'yes'.

"Good, take team Kurenai with you with you. Dismissed"

Just as they were about to leave, Tsunade spoke again "Oh, and Sayomi?" Sayomi turned "Happy Birthday for yesterday."

She flushed slightly, scarce few people knew when her birthday was, even fewer actually wished her a 'happy birthday'. She nodded in thanks, before rushing out the room.

* * *

It was late evening the next day, the sun turned the sky burnt orange, people were still celebrating, the war was over. Sayomi was in her Smithy, as usual when she had allot of things on her mind, Hinata watched unnoticed from the doorway. There were several pieces of metal in the flames of the Forge, all similar sizes. She was forging what looked like an almost-finished Kunai, holding the glowing piece of metal tightly between a pair of tongs, sparks flying from the blade when she struck it with the hammer in her right hand. She continued this for a while, until she was satisfied with the shape, dipped the Kunai in a bucket of water, thick steam rose heavily from the bucket, and she lay the finished product out on the table on the far side of the room, where she hung it from a hook. A small crease between her eyebrows, Sayomi turned back to the Forge, grabbed hold of the tongs and used them to pick up one of the chunks of metal in the Forge. She turned pack to her anvil, picked up the hammer and started to hammer it into a point, Hinata recognised it as the blade of a Kunai.

Hinata watched Sayomi carefully, she wore casual jeans and a black vest-top with a black-smith's apron, there was a thin sheen of sweat over her tanned skin (you couldn't blame her, it was ridiculously hot in there), her long black hair was tied back in a pony-tail. If you described one of your female friends as an impossibly strong Blacksmith and Jonin, you'd imagine a butch, fairly ugly, fairly hairy woman with a lady-moustache and not the slightest interest in men, but Sayomi was far from. She was slender-limbed, beautiful, facial-hair free girl with an 'interest' in men (as far as Hinata could tell). At a sudden realisation, Hinata stifled a gasp, how hadn't she noticed before? It was impossible but... Sayomi had gone from sixteen-year-old girl to woman almost over night. There wasn't a single excess ounce of fat anywhere on her body, her features were slim and no-longer child-like and the slight strain of her top over her breasts was bigger now, it seemed only the other week she was almost completely flat-chested, like the top didn't fit any more and Sayomi hadn't noticed that it revealed an alarming amount of her cleavage. Hinata was unable to stifle her gasp this time as she shot out of view, covering her mouth. What was she thinking about? Looking at her captain like that? She looked at the package in her hands, Sayomi's gradually more ill-fitting clothes was actually why she was here.

"Hinata?" Sayomi asked, leaning out the doorway, a surprised look on her face, people only came to the Sakamoto Smithy if they wanted something specific made, and if they had allot of time and money. Sakamoto-made weaponry was the best in all the five nations. "What are you doing out here? Come on in" She waved Hinata in, holding the door open for her. Sayomi quickly cleared a stool, brushed it off and set it down for Hinata to sit on "You might want to take off your jacket," she instructed. Reluctantly, Hinata set down her package on the stool and unzipped her jacket, hanging it on the hook on the back of the door, which currently held Sayomi's jacket too, then she picked up the package and sat down on the stool. Sayomi went back to hammering the Kunai blade, but still talking to Hinata "So what brings you here?" she asked

"W-well, it was your birthday yesterday..."

She hesitated for a moment "You know I don't do birthdays." she said, as she turned the blade over.

"Then how about thank you's?" she asked

Sayomi placed the blade back in the Forge and pulled a chain hanging from the ceiling, making the flames jump and roar. Although she just stared into the flames, her storm-grey eyes glistening in the fire-light, her skin glowing, making no indication of listening to her, Hinata knew that she had Sayomi's undivided attention.

"Y-you've always been so kind to me, even before the Academy, always right next to me telling me that I could do better, that I just had to push myself that little bit further. When we went into the Genin exams together and we had to fight each other in the final stage, and you beat me, I made a promise to myself that one day I'd beat you... That hasn't happened yet, but until then I've always got something to strive for, and for that I want to say thank you, for making me stronger." Hinata faded towards the end of her sentence, suddenly uncomfortable. Sayomi looked directly at her, there was something in her eyes that Hinata had never seen before. Tears.

She released the chain and the flames died-down slightly, then made her way swiftly over to Hinata, picking her up in a hug. "What are friends for?" she asked, half-laughing, half-on the verge of tears. The package still in her hands, Hinata wrapped her arms round her best friend, already crying herself. Suddenly Sayomi held her at arms-length, "I'm looking forward to the day you'll beat me" she said

* * *

The present from Hinata under her arm, Sayomi opened the door to her flat. All the lights were off and there didn't appear to be anyone in, but she could sense that Gaara had been here very recently. She didn't bother turning the lights on, she was dead-beat, she'd have a shower in the morning. Despite the darkness, Sayomi noticed a small box on the coffee table, it looked to her like a jewellery box. Curious, she put down the package from Hinata and picked up the small box. She perched on the arm of the sofa and opened the box. Inside was a small silver pendant in the shape of an seven-pointed star on a thin leather strap. She lifted it carefully from the box, holding it in the palm of her hand, it was the same shape as the shuriken she used. Someone spoke.

"Happy Birthday." said a deep monotone from behind her, it was Gaara.

"O-oh, I-I didn't..." she snapped her head back round to look away from him and back at the pendant. She jumped as he reached his arms wound her and lifted the pendant from her hand, turning it over to reveal the other side. In the center of the pendant was the kanji character for 'soul' written in red. Then he turned his attention to the fastening and put the pendant round her neck, lifting her hair from under the clasp, his fingers lingering on her shoulders, she swallowed the lump in her throat. He leaned forward to wrap one arm round her and put one hand on her chin, he turned her face towards him. Her cheeks were flushed and eyes wide.

"What are you doing to me?" he asked, she couldn't even comprehend an answer "I've never felt like this before" he said quietly, speaking more to himself than he was to her.

* * *

Kiba had stayed in bed all day, lying face-down, in dull agonising pain. Even though he'd told Shino he was tired, he knew that he knew that was a lie, but Shino also knew that Kiba was stubborn and wasn't going to admit anything. Despite the fact that Sayomi was expecting them later in the day for training, Shino had stayed in with him. Which was when Kiba had seen a different side to Shino.

_~Earlier that Day~_

_Kiba briefly opened his eyes, before shutting them tight again. His head hurt like hell and the sudden unexpected sunlight didn't help. Wait, hold on... Sunlight? He sniffed the air, they were outside, or at least... the village was, he forced his eyes open. Sunlight poured in through the windows. He tried to sit up, but was stopped by a painful twinge below his waist._

_"The war's over." said Shino, he was stood by the window "Sayomi brought the village back up the surface about three hours ago" he looked at Kiba, catching him dumb-struck, it was rare to see Shino without his many coats, and rarer still to see him without his glasses, he didn't have either. Kiba gasped, Shino's eyes were a deep shade of golden-brown, not what he'd expected._

_Then Kiba remembered last night and flushed, he turned and buried his face in the pillow, it smelt strongly of the bug-nin. Who was suddenly next to him, one hand stroking his hair softly and whispering in his ear. _

_"I know I hurt you last night...and I'm sorry."_

_Kiba looked round to see the sincere look in Shino's eyes. Maybe he wasn't to dull, emotionless man he was all cracked up to be._

_~Present Time~_

There was a knock at the door, not the bedroom door, the front door. Kiba sniffed the air, it was Hinata, though she smelt of burning coal, metal and faintly of Sayomi. He guessed that she'd just come from the Sakamoto Smithy, Sayomi must have allot on her mind. He could hear her talking to Shino in the hall way.


	5. End Author's Note

**Authors Notes: END?**

**This is the end of this installment, I know it was short, I did intend to stretch it out and have a few more chapters, but that intention died XP  
It was an abrupt ending, I know, but keep reading!  
The next installment will be set a year or two later and will be posted shortly.**

**SO LOOK OUT FOR THE THIRD INSTALLMENT 'DESERT ROSE: THE LADY IN RED' (Unless I change the title, in which case, just look out for the third installment to the 'Desert Rose' series)  
**

**signed: 13th-Queen-of-Whatever =3**


End file.
